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Sarah C. Judkins
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Sarah C. Judkins

Counsel

  • Energy Transition and Climate Change|
  • Environment|
Denver
303.825.7000C 303.389.4556
sjudkins@kaplankirsch.com
  • Overview
  • Representative Experience
  • Resources and News
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By bringing a practical lens to litigated and regulatory proceedings, I am able to combine strong legal analysis, a policy-and results-oriented framework, information from experts, and a common-sense approach to reach strong environmental outcomes for clients. These skills and experiences allow me to effectively represent and counsel clients before numerous state and federal agencies, as well as state and federal courts, on a wide variety of environmental, public lands, energy, and policy issues. I bring a clear focus on my clients’ desired outcomes and goals to develop an effective regulatory, policy, and litigation strategy.

Sarah Judkins advises and represents clients on a range of air quality, climate change, energy, and public lands issues before state and federal regulatory bodies and agencies, as well as in federal and state court. As an environmental and energy attorney, she counsels clients on the best strategy to reach desired outcomes, which may include policy, regulatory, or litigation tools, or some combination thereof. Sarah’s experience extends to practicing before the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, and the Interior Board of Land Appeals, in addition to numerous state and federal courts.  She has also represented clients seeking approvals from the Department of the Interior, the United States Forest Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, and several Colorado state agencies. Sarah advises clients across numerous sectors, including renewable energy, recreation, and conservation.

Prior to joining the Firm, Sarah worked as a senior associate at a large global law firm, served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Carlos F. Lucero of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and was a fellow with Environmental Defense Fund’s air and climate team. During law school, she clerked at Earthjustice and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and was an intern for the Honorable Gregory Hobbs of the Colorado Supreme Court and the Natural Resources and Environment Section of the Colorado Office of the Attorney General. She was also executive editor of the Colorado Environmental Law Journal.

Representative Experience

  • Represent environmental organizations and a coalition of local governments in numerous proceedings before the Air Quality Control Commission to adopt nation-leading regulations to address emissions from the oil and gas sector and the industrial and manufacturing sector
  • Represented environmental organizations before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in proceedings to establish a utility transitions to a clean energy future and retirement of some of Colorado’s remaining fossil-fuel fired generation
  • Advise renewable energy developers on regulatory approvals for proposed projects or transactions
  • Defend environmental review processes and approvals for airport projects
  • Counsel public lands and infrastructure clients on environmental and related reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and other federal requirements
  • Advise environmental organizations in advocating strong federal regulations for the oil and gas sector
  • Represent conservation clients in appealing Bureau of Land Management travel management decisions to the Interior Board of Land Appeals
  • Represented environmental organizations and a coalition of local governments in the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s mission-change rulemaking
  • Represents a renewable energy developer in protecting its contracts with a utility before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission
  • Counseled client in considering and negotiating the sale of a decommissioned power plant for redevelopment
  • Represented unaccompanied immigrant children, young adults, and families in obtaining asylum, release from detention, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status

Resources and News

Awards and Recognition

Law Alerts

News

Presentations

Publications

  • The Best Lawyers in America® Announces Lawyer Rankings for 2026, Firm Attorneys Included

    Awards and Recognition | August 21, 2025
  • The Best Lawyers in America® Announces Lawyer Rankings, Firm Attorneys Included

    Awards and Recognition | August 15, 2024
  • Environmental Law Alert – Firm Represents Advocates in Rulemaking Leading to Significant Reductions in Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations in Colorado

    Law Alerts | February 24, 2026
  • Energy Law Alert – Colorado Moves Ahead on Climate Action

    Law Alerts | February 24, 2020
  • Firm Helps Secure Favorable Result for Clients in Rulemaking to Support Colorado’s Air Quality Programs

    News | June 11, 2026
  • Kaplan Kirsch Attorneys Recognized Among 2025 Colorado Super Lawyers®

    News | March 26, 2025
  • Colorado First in Nation to Adopt Federal Methane Controls for Existing Oil and Gas Sources

    News | February 26, 2025
  • Victory in the Rockies: BLM Rescinds Approval of Motorized Trail in San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado

    News | April 22, 2024
  • view all
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act: Where Are We Now?

    Presentations | October 30, 2019
  • Ethical Issues in Internal Investigations

    Presentations | January 8, 2019
  • Firm Attorneys Author PFAS Litigation Article for ABA

    Publications | September 29, 2021
  • Colorado Energy & Climate Legislation: 2021 Year in Review

    Publications | June 16, 2021
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act: Where Are We Now?

    Publications | October 16, 2019
  • A Brief Guide to Common Pitfalls and Ethical Issues for Outside Counsel in Internal Investigations

    Publications | December 15, 2018
  • view all

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Practices

  • Air Quality
  • Climate Mitigation & Adaptation Projects
  • Climate Policy & Litigation
  • Electric Vehicles & Clean Transportation
  • Endangered Species & Wildlife Issues
  • Energy Regulatory Proceedings & Litigation
  • Energy Transition and Climate Change
  • Environment
  • Environmental Impact Reviews
  • Environmental Litigation
  • Government and Public Policy
  • Historic, Cultural, and Archaeological Resources
  • Litigation
  • Methane Regulation
  • Public Lands & Conservation
  • Water Resources

Education

  • J.D., University of Colorado, Order of the Coif, 2014
  • M.S., Environmental Studies, University of Colorado, 2014
  • B.A., Whitman College, magna cum laude, 2010

Clerkships

  • Law Clerk, Honorable Carlos F. Lucero, 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, 2015–2016

Bar & Court Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2015
  • New Mexico, 2018

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2022
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2020
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 2015
  • Colorado Supreme Court, 2015

Organizations

  • University of Denver Strum College of Law Professional Mentoring Program
    • Mentor, 2019–Present
  • National Parks Conservation Association
    • Member, Southwest Regional Advisory Council, 2018–Present
  •  Journey to JD – Center for Legal Inclusiveness
    • Member, Planning Committee, 2018
  • Wildlands Restoration Volunteers
    • Director At Large, 2016–2022
  • Colorado LGBT Bar Association
    • Member
  • Colorado Bar Association
    • Executive Council Member & Treasurer/Secretary, Natural Resources and Energy Section

Honors

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Environmental Law (2025–Present)
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